Transmission mechanism for photographic cameras



vJune 6, 1939. H. BCKER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM FOR PHOTOGRAPHIG CAMERAS Filed March 25, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 22 65,6 a f :wm 67. a he,

43 .36 41 47]46510 Jy a s INVENTOR He//m/f 56640 June s, 1.939. H; BECKER 2,160,818

TRANSMISSION MECHANISM FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS Filed March 25, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @jf/SL55.'

A ORNEY Patented June 6, 1939 PATENT OFFICE TRANSMISSION MECHANISM FOB- I PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS,

Helmut Becker, Wetzlar, Germany, assignor to Ernst Leitz, G. m. b.

Application March 25,

H., Wetzlar, Germany 1937, Serial No. 132,897

In Germany April 3, 1936 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in motor driven roll lm cameras and has particular reference to improvements in'the transmission` mechanismbetv'een the motor and the camera.

6 Such transmission mechanism has two periodsv of operation. While the exposure is being made the transmission idles. While the shutter mechanism and the film winding means are being rewound for the next exposure the transmission l0 connects theselmechanisms to the motor and is then running actively. The object of the invention is to improve generally the transmission mechanism whereby to effect a saving in power expended by the motor. bodied in a spring motor and transmission gearing attached to a camera and so arranged that the periods of active operation of the transmission mechanism is longer thanv the period of relative idleness. Accordingly the invention 'is embodied in la spring motor and gear transmission for a roll film camera arranged and constructed as hereinafter set forth and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in'which Fig. 1 is a fro'nt view ofa roll film camera with spring motor attached, parts being in section and parts removed and broken `away.`

Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe spring motor'mechanism with parts broken away or shown in section and other parts omitted for the sake of clearness. f

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail side view of parts of the transmission mechanism and parts of the camera mechanism. Fig. 4 is a plan view of some of the gears in the u transmission.

Figs. 5 to 8 are diagrams illustrating the operation of the transmission mechanism.

'I'he camera is provided with a focal plane shutter of the type disclosed in U. S. Patent 1,652,553, Dec. 13, 1927, and which is well known in the art. The shutter includes two curtains or blinds 1I and 12. When the shutter is closed the curtain 1I is wound upon a curtain roller 80 and the curtain 12 is stretched across the exposure opening 5 between the roller 80 and the usual curtain spring rollers 82. 'I'here are'two rollers 82 one behind the other and one for each curtain. 'I'he film is contained within a casette 62 and is unwound therefrom and wound up upon a film spool 23 by means of a film transport roller 83 which is geared at the top by gearing 84 to the spool 23. At the f bottom the transport roller is geared by gearing at 85 to the curtain roller 80. The numeral 6I indicates a depressible release member. As is well known, such member is at the bottom of The invention is em-` a release rod which extends through the top of the camera for operationby the photographer.

In normal position a fiat spring 43 engages a coupling member 86 whereby the curtain roller gearing 85 is prevented from rotating being then 5 coupled to the lm transport roller. When an exposure is to be made the release 6I is depressed against the spring 43 to uncouple the gearing 85 which is now free to rotate. The shutter is now opened by the action of the spring rollers 82 which 10 pulls kthe curtain across the exposure opening with a slit between them as is shown in Fig. 1.

The shutter is rewound after exposure by the lm spool 23. The latter is rotated by means hereinafter explainedand in turn, through the gearing 84, roller 83 and gearing 85, rotates'the curtain roller to rewind the shutter, the release of course then having been moved back into normal position by the spring 43. All of the foregoing is well known in the art and covers the 20 operation when the release 6I is manually operated. In the present instance means are provided for automatic operation of the shutter release and shutter rewind as will appear hereinafter.

A motor is attached to a camera for the purpose of enabling the operator to take a series of pictures without having to wait between exposures in order to rewind the shutter and lm mechanisms. In the present instance the motor mechanism is contained within a casing 9 attached to thecamera by any suitable means. The motor mechanism comprises a. winding up shaft I which carries a gear 2 in mesh with another gear 4 fast on a shaft 5. A motor spring 6 is secured to the shaft 5 within the drum 1. The latter carries a gear 8 which meshes with a gear I0 carried by another drum II', which contains a second spring I2. 'Ihe drum II carries still another gear I3. The shaft I has a handle 32 for rotating the shaft to wind up the motor springs through the aforesaid train of gears.

The housing or drum II is provided with a cam I8 which is engaged by a nose I9 on a horizont-a1 shaft 41 to prevent rotation of the motor 6-I2. The nose I9 is slidably carried by the shaft 41 by means of a pin and slot connection 49-50.

A spring 5I serves to cushion the blow or engagement between the cam I8 and the nose I9 as will be understood. The shaft 41 is rotated to release the spring motor by means of a lever 52 on the outside of the housing 9.

'Ihe gear I3 on the drum II meshes with a double gear 24-28 on the drum shaft 5. The lower gear 24 drives a gear 25 connected to another gear 26. The latter operates a governor 21 in a well known manner, see Fig. 2. The gear 23 which is above the gear 24 drives a suitably supported pinion 29. The latter in turn drives a gear 30 which carries a pin 34 in engagement with a Geneva shop 35 on the shaft 63. A gear 53 on the latter drives a gear 54 which rotates a counter.

dial 31, Fig. 2.

AReferring now to the mechanisms within the camera it has already been explained that the shutter which is indicated in Fig. 1 by the usual two shutter curtains 1I and 12 is released to make an exposure when the shutter release 6I is depressed against the spring 43 which normally prevents operation of the release.l In the ordinary operation of the camera the shutter release is depressed by the operator whereby the spring 43 is moved down and no longer prevents operation of the release. In the present instance means are provided for moving the spring 43 down automatically when the motor is released to start operations. For this purpose there is provided an arm 42 which is adapted to be moved in over the spring 43 when the housing 3 is attached to the camera. The. arm is carried by the upper end of a sleeve 64 which is slidably and rotatably connected to a shaft 44 by a pin and slot connection at 65. The sleeve carries a disk 48 which supports a lever 45 having a cam roll 66 adapted to be engaged by a cam 46 on the spring drum II. A spring 36 keeps the lsleeve 64 and the roll 66 in normal upper position. The shaft 44 carries a gear 4| which is engaged by a rack 40 upon the end of a long slide 39. The latter is shifted by an eccentric 38 operated by the handle I5. When the housing 9 is attached to the camera, the handle I5 is rotated to lock the two housings together and to open the casette 62. Rotation of the handle I5 causes rotation of the eccentric 38 whereby the slide 39 is shifted so that the rack 40 may rotate the gear 4I to swing the arm 42 in over the spring 43. When the motor is released the drum II starts to rotate. The cam 46 then engages the roll 6'6 to depress the lever 45 with the sleeve 64 and the arm 42. The latter moves the spring 43 down, the shutter release is now free and the shutter operates. The film in the camera is wound from the casette 62 to the spool 23. The spool is operated by means of a pin 3| which in a known manner yieldingly engages the spool to rotate the same. A spring 33 is provided to force the pin 3| into engagement with the spool when the parts are in registering positions as will be understood. 'I'he shaft 61 for rotating the pin and thespool is in turn rotated by means of a'friction disk 22 which is engaged by a gear 2|. Whenever the gear 2| is actuated, it rotates the shaft 61 andthe pin 3I to operate the spool toiwind up the film and the shutter.

The improved transmission mechanism which forms the subject matter of this application is interposed between the gear I3 on the drum II and the aforesaid gear 2|. 'I'he transmission is arranged to drive the gear 2| between exposures and to run idle during exposures. It comprises the following elements, see Figs. 3 and 4.

The numeral 66 denotes a shaft which carries a double gear 20-I1. The gear 26 meshes with the aforesaid gear 2|. 'I'he gear I1 is driven 'from the motor gear I3 by means of a pinion I4 suitably supported. Upon the shaft 66 and above the gear I1 there is another gear I6 which also meshes with the pinion I4. 'I'he gear I6 has a circular slot 51 which is engaged by a pin 55 fast in the gear I1 below. As seen in Fig. 4, the teeth on the upper gear I6 are removed for a certain distance as at 56. The teeth on the lower gear I1 are likewise removed for a certain greater distance as at 56 so that in Fig. 4, the gear I1 is not in mesh with the pinion I4. Broadly speaking the operation of the transmission gears is as follows. Gears I6 and I1 are driven by the pinion |4. This driving operation is interrupted whenever the smooth portions 56 and 56 come opposite the pinion I4, at which time the two gears are individually transported put the pinion I4 by the pin and slot 55-51. When the gear I1 is rotating it drives the gear 2| via the gear 2U and then the lm and shutter mechanisms are operated. When the gear I1 stands still these mechanisms are not operated because then an exposure is being made. 1

'I'he operation is as follows: The motor is Awound up by rotating the shaft I and when the winding up operation is nished, the motor is heldin wound up position by the cam I 6 abutting the nose I9. During the winding up the gear 36 and pin 34 rotate the Geneva stop 35 which in tum operates the counter dial 31 to indicate the number of exposures desired. When the op- I1 is not rotated so that while the shutter is operated the gear I1 stands still and does not drive the gear 2l and the shutter rewind and the film rewind are not operated. When, however, through the operation of the pin 55 and the slot 51 the gear I1 is again rotated, which will happen after the exposure, the gears 2l and 2| are driven to operate the pin 3| which in turn operates the lm spool 23 to rewind the hlm and rewind the shutter. s

The operation of the transmission gears I1 and I6 is specifically as follows, see Figs. 5, 8. For the sake of clearness these figures do not show gear teeth. The two gears I1 and I6 are of the same diameter but in order to understand the operation the circle which-indicates the gear I1 is drawn slightly inside the circle which indicates the gear I6 which is on top. First it will be .noticed that in Figure 5 the gear I6 is in mesh with pinion I4 while the gear I1 is not in mesh because the toothless portion 56 is opposite the pinion. Consequently when the pinion starts to rotate only the gear I6 is driven and the slot 51 then moves idly on 'the pin 55, the gear I1 Vstanding still until the end of the slot reaches the pin as in Figure 6. Now the slot 51 continuing its movement carries the pin 55 and the gear I1 along until the position is reached in Fig. 7. At this time the toothless portions 56 in gear I6 is opposite the pinion I4 so gear I6 stops. -However at this time the teeth on gear I1 have reached the pinion I4. The gear I1 is now rotated and the pin 55 moves idly -in the slot 51 until the position in Fig. 8. From here on the stands still the pinion I4 makes a complete revollution which represents idling on the part of the motor with respect to performing any operations within the camera, this being the exposure lof the slot 51 determines the period of idleness.

'I'he power expended by the motor during this period is lost so far as the shutter and lm rewinding is concerned which is the reason for making the period of idleness materially shorter than the work period.

The gears I1 and 20 move together to drive the smaller gear 2| which in turn by way of the friction disk 22 rotates the shaft 61 to wind up the film and the shutter. The operations are stopped by the operator letting go of the lever 52.

'The spring 59 then rotates the shaft 41 counter clockwise to bring the nose I9 into the path of the cam I8 to stop the motor, the stopping movement being cushioned by the spring 5|. During the taking of the pictures the speed of the motor is regulated by the governor 21 and the exposures counted by means of the Geneva stop 35 and counter dial 31. The speed of the governor is regulated in a known manner by rotating a disk 69 which is connected to the governor by a pin 10. The friction disk is provided to serve as a. safety element in case the camera is provided with a nlm rewinding mechanism not shown. In such event it may happen that the end of the nlm may be' pulled away from the rewinding spool or the perforations torn. The friction disk prevents such happenings because the friction is weaker than the force necessary for tearing the film or pulling it away from the spool.

From the foregoing, it will be clear that the transmission device according to this invention is designed to utilize the power of the motor in such a manner that theperiod during which the motor is not directly coupled to the camera mechanisms is shorter than when it is so coupled. Or in other words the period during which the motor operates per se but is not doing any work are cut down, hence useless expenditure of power is avoided. n l I claim:

l. In a motor driven roll nlm camera including a roll ofi'ilm. mechanism for unwinding the film therefrom to expose the same, a shutter and mechanisms for opening the shutter to make an exposure and for rewinding theshutter to close the same, a motor attached said camera for actuating all of said mech a power transmission device interposed between the motor and the said mechanisms for interruptedly transmitting power from the motor to the said mechanisms during a complete exposure operation and means in said transmission device for automatically interrupting the power transmitting operations thereof for a period of time which is shorter than the period of time during which power is transmitted by said device from the motor to the said camera mechanisms.

2. In a motor driven roll film camera including a roll of nlm, mechanism for unwlnding the film therefrom to expose theI same, a shutter and mechanisms for opening the shutter to make an exposure and for rewinding the shutter to close the same, a motor attached to the camera for actuating all of said mechanisms, a power transmitting device interposed between the motor and said mechanisms, said power transmitting device including a gear for interruptedly transmitting the power from the motor to the camera mechanisms, a second gear for interruptedly operatively connecting the first gear to the motor and means operatively connecting said gears to regulate the durations of the periods during which the said first gear is operatively connected to the motor.

3. In a motor -driven roll film camera including a roll of film, mechanism for unwinding the film therefrom to expose the same, a shutter and mechanisms for opening the shutter to make an exposure and for rewinding the shutter to close the same, a motor attached to the camera for actuating all of said mechanisms, a power transmitting device interposed between the motor and said mechanisms, said power transmitting device including a gear for interruptedly transmitting the power from the motor to the camera mechanisms, a pin in said gear, a second gear having a slot engaging the said pin in the first gear for interruptedly operatively connecting the first gearto the motor for a period of time which is longer than the period during which the first gear is not connected to the motor. i

4. In a motor driven roll film camera including a shutter release,`a illm winding spool andshutter rewinding means, a shutter release holding spring,

a member for moving the same into shutter re- /leasing position, a spring motor attached to said camera to actuate the shutter rewinding means and operate the said spool between exposures, a lever for operating the said member to move the said spring as aforesaid and means actuated by the motor when the latter is started for operating the said lever.

5. In a motor driven roll film camera including a nlm supporting spool mechanism for unwinding the film therefrom to expose the film, a shutter and devices for opening the 'shutter to make an exposure and for operating said spool to rewind the lm andthe shutter; a motor attached to the camera, a power transmitting device interposed between the motor and said mechanisms for interruptedly operating all of said mechanisms, a single shaft for operatively connecting the power transmitting device to the said nim spool to actuate the film and shutter unwinding mechanisms and a friction drive between said shaft and the said power transmitting device. whereby to obtain a smooth and easy operation of said rewinding elements. 

